Through his company, Dr. Trezek initiated the scientific and technical aspects of a proposed Biomass, Inc. commercial venture for the manufacture of acetic acid and ethanol from various waste and agricultural feedstocks. The acetic acid technology involved the gasification of solids such as municipal solid waste into syngas and the subsequent microbiological or chemical conversion of carbon monoxide into the acid product.
A strain of microorganisms was developed and later genetically engineered for the conversion of cellulose and sucrose into ethanol. The focus was on converting waste materials such as non-recyclable waste paper and sugar cane because of its abundance and lack of market in certain regions of the world. Certain aspects of this technology required the use of enzymes and the process of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF).
In developing the technology, Dr. Trezek was responsible for converting a garage/storage facility into a laboratory suitable for bench scale operations. He initially hired and developed three professionals--microbiologist, chemist, and process engineer-and later added seven more professionals to the team, establishing expanded facilities for pilot operations, incorporating an instrumentation laboratory for GCMS and LC measurements, supervising the construction of time-dependent models verified by data obtained from operating reactors, scale-up and design of commercial facilities, and conceptual design and oversight of the construction for 1000/lb. per hour gasifier.
During the six-year project, Trezek forged strategic working alliances with the microbiology group at California State University, Hayward; the University of Illinois; and the bioconversion group at Iowa State University. Memberships with biomass trade organizations were established.
